Electronic differential system for Light Electric Vehicles with two inwheel motors

This paper deals with the design, implementation and evaluation of an electronic differential system intended for light electric vehicles. Its operation is based on splitting the torque equally for two independent brushless DC motors installed in the same axis of the vehicle and directly coupled to the wheels. This configuration allows the motors to rotate at different speeds when the vehicle traces a curve. The system also detects and corrects the slipping of any traction wheel. The main feature of the proposed system is that it does not require specific sensors to measure the steering angle and the speed of the drive wheels. Another important feature is that it is implemented using standard electric bicycle controllers and a general purpose Arduino platform. These components are very inexpensive and are available almost anywhere in the world.